The Female Tezuka
by Caster Night
Summary: (F/N) (L/N) is a new student at Seigaku. She quickly catches the attention of the Regulars, and they slowly begin to break her stoic appearance. Is this how she truly is? Or is there another reason for her to be the way she is? Only time will tell... Tezuka x reader x Various! Disclaimer: I own NOTHING of the Prince of Tennis. I do own the change in plot and reader character!
1. Chapter 1

I walked out, staring into the raging mist of the sea. Such ferocity…such _beauty_…the sea, is forever untamed. Just like me…

The wind seemed especially ferocious, as I concentrated on the shallowness of my breaths, taking in the wonderful view before me. '_Why can't I be a part of the sea?' _Such an idiotic question yet…something I dreamed of being. _'Why do you play?' _The answer is simple. _I play because it's fun…_ Unfortunately, not all were accepting of that response. _I want to disappear…I want to experience being a normal person…_ I knew that such a statement was close to impossible, given my abilities, but my determination was unwavering. _I WILL discover myself again….._

"Ne, are you the new student?" "Hai…" "I see. Well then miss…" The secretary woman looked down at the schedule, "…miss (L/N)?" She seemed surprised by my last name, but I did not bother showing much expression. "Nnn…" "I-I see….." She proceeded to hand me the piece of paper. "Please follow me. Your new Professor is anxious to meet you…" I nodded stiffly, and followed the woman as she made her way down the hall. _'I want to be….free…..'_

"Miss (L/N), this is Professor Mikazaki, she will be one your guidance counselor for the rest of the term. "Hmnn…" I glanced up at the older woman through my glasses before bowing. "I will be in your care…" Mrs. Mikazaki smiled, then pointed to my seat. "You will be there. Class will begin soon so I will ask that you wait before you go to take a seat, that way you can introduce yourself to the class." "Hai." I walked to the entrance, standing next to the opened door.

As the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class, I watched as a few stragglers rushed in. They took a brief moment to observe me with questioning eyes, obviously confused by my unfamiliarity. "Everyone, we have a new student. I want all of you to accept her with open arms. Ms. (L/N)." I walked in, gazing around my new 'peers'. "Hai. My name is (F/N) (L/N). I hope you will take care of me." I bowed slightly. "Now then. Ms. (L/N), please go to your seat. Class will now begin."

I looked out the window, watching some of the people that walked by. _'How small…' _Then I turned my gaze to the sky; to the clouds that floated by gracefully, having nothing to worry about. I sighed. _'A cloud is not as free as I would like to think…' _No matter what it was, whether it be physical or not, there is always something it is bound to. "Ms. (L/N)?" My train of thought broke as I turned to the Professor. "Hai?" She seemed to be glaring at me slightly, noticing my lack of attention. "Would you please come and solve this equation?" "Hai." I stood then proceeded to the board. _'Calculus huh? How easy…' _"There's no way she can answer that!" "I know! We haven't even learned any of that!" The faint whispers that erupted around the room, bored me. I picked up at small piece of chalk, taking note of its texture, before looking over the problem.

I could see the Professor's smirk from my peripheral view, obviously stating that she thought I couldn't solve it. I sighed, proceeding to write my answer.

"Ohhhh! Awesome!" I put down the piece of chalk, and walked back to my seat. "T-That's…..right!" The Professor was astonished, and I received many wide-eyed expressions. "Hnnn…" was my only response to them. _'I want this to be over…'_

"Ms. (L/N), could you wait after class please?" I looked at the Professor, right as the bell rang. "Hai." As the other students in my class left, going for lunch, I stayed. "Hai Mikazaki-sensei?" She stood in front of me, a serious look in her eyes. "Why are you only a second year? It is obvious from your intellectual display today during class that you have already advanced into higher levels of learning…" I looked down, debating on how I should respond. "Because…..I don't want to….." My response seemed to shock the Professor, much more than what I did in class. "I-I see…that's a shame….." "Gomen…" She shook her head, saying it was okay, then allowed me to leave for lunch.

"Excuse me, but are you by any chance (F/N) (L/N)?" I turned to look at the man who spoke. "Who wants to know?" _'I dislike being interrupted at lunch…' _"Gomen! I'm Momoshiro Takeshi! Mikazaki-sensei asked if I would mind showing you around!" _'He seems nice but…' _"Gomen. I don't think it would be a good idea if you have a sprained ankle to be on it longer than necessary…" His eyes widened, mouth slightly agape. "H-How did you…?" I sighed, pushing up my glasses. "I see…Alright then, I will be in your care…" I stood, placing the lid on my bento, and ushered for him to lead the way.

"This is the Recreational Courts. We have basketball, soccer, and of course, tennis!" "Momoshiro-Kun, you play tennis right?" "H-Hai, how did you know?" I glanced down, mumbling to myself. "Lucky guess…" I don't like not telling the truth, but I didn't want to seem even more of a freak then I already did… "O-Kay….well! If you would like to come after school to take a look at our team, you are welcome to! What is your last class?" "English…" "Wow! You know your schedule already?" I nodded. "Cool! Then I will meet you after class!" _'Now that he mentions it…he does look like one of the people in my class…..' _"Hnn…" He smiled. "Okay! We should get back before the bell rings!" I nodded, and followed Momoshiro to class. "Oh, by the way, call me Momo!"

I rest of the day passed by rather slowly, but I did find out that Momo was, indeed, in the same class as me. "Ne! (F/N)!" I looked at Momo, nodding to show that I heard him. The smile on his face widened. "Are you going to come after class?" _'I thought we already decided this…' _"Hai…" He seemed _way _too excited about this. I pushed up my glasses. "By the way, (F/N), I couldn't help but notice a familiar looking racket case you have there." I thought no one had noticed it, considering I had placed it in the back on the class. "Hai." "I thought so! Since your last name was on it I figured it had to be you!" I nodded stiffly. "What of it?" _'I don't want others to see…' _"Well~ Are you any good?" I tensed, and Momo noticed. His smile instantly turned into a frown… "I-I'm sorry if…I said something bad…" He seemed so pitiful at that point, I couldn't find a reason to remain mad at him. "Hnn. It's fine Momo. To answer your question, I have not played tennis is a while, so I may be a little rough…" His face brightened. "Then! How about play a match with one of the other female players?" I cringed. "E-Eto….." _'I don't want to play against someone who…..won't be able to enjoy the game with me…' _"I…..I don't think the girls would be…" I looked down, instantly feeling bad about what I was starting to say. Momo smirked. "Oh~ You think you can play with the big boys huh~" I regretted speaking. "Hnn…" Momo laughed heartily, then playfully hit my shoulder. "Well then! Challenge accepted! How about you and me play a quick match?" _'It sounds like you already decided my answer yourself…' _"Momo, I don't…" He shushed me before I could continue, winking. "No need to try to deny how much you want to play me! But don't think I'll take it easy on you!" He walked away, and I couldn't help the small smile that crept onto my face. _'I see…..perhaps he will have fun playing with me…..'_

"Come on, come on, come on!" Momo practically _dragged _me to the courts, insisting we get started quickly so that he wouldn't be late to practice. _'Something about not wanting to run laps…' _

"Ne! Are you ready?" I stared at Momo as he got into position across the court. "Hnn…but Momo…." "Hai?" "No matter what….." I was hesitant to continue, but he pushed me to. "…no matter what, let's have fun….." He grinned widely. "Hai!" With that the match started. _'I hope I don't regret this…' _

"_Huh…huh….huh….." _I felt something that I hadn't felt in…..many years….. "Huh…huh….(F-F/N)…..y-your…huh…REALLY good….." I smiled at him, genuinely. "As are you Momo! I'm so glad to finally have a match that was exciting and….._fun_!" We walked towards each other, and shook hands. "Ne! Join our team! I'm sure Tezuka-buchou would be thrilled!" I raised my brow. _'Tezuka-buchou?' _

I found it strange, how Momo seemed to be really…._clingy_ after our match. "Eto….Momo….." "Hai?" He looked innocent but….this was just _ridiculous….._ "Hnn…could I please have my arm back?" I saw a faint blush come to his cheeks. "H-Hai…" He let go of my arm. "Thank you."

"Alright. The Inter-Ranking tournament is in a few days, we all need to give it our best to decide the top players to send to the District Tournament." "HAI!" Sounded the team.


	2. Chapter 2

~(F/N) POV~

I watched from the sidelines as the large group scattered, proceeding to their practice. _'I should go…' _However, Momo caught my hand just as I was about to make my escape. "Nu-huh~ You're not getting away _that _easily!" I glared at him, genuinely angry, and tried to yank my hand out of his grasp. Unfortunately, I was unable to and therefor was tugged along behind Momo as he proceeded to the courts. "Ne, mina! This is (F/N) (L/N)! She just transferred here!" A faint blush tainted my cheeks, as I glanced down, pushing my glasses up further on my nose. "Eh~ A new student? Nya! What year are you?" My eyes widened in slight shock as a red-haired male literally _bounced _towards me. "Eiji-sempai, she needs some space!" Momo pulled me back some, to which I sent him a thankful glance. "I am a second year student." I bowed. "Please take care of me." "Eh? Really?" Momo answered for me. "Hai! We're in the same class too!"

The attention I was getting from the so called _Regulars _was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable. "Momo…" "Hai?" He turned from his match, temporarily pausing it, and faced me. "Since there is nothing left for me to do, I will take my leave." "Awe!" It wasn't only Momo who wined. Apparently, my presence was already accepted by the team, and they were surprised that I wanted to go. "But…but…" Momo gave me the puppy-dog look, wavering my determination to leave only slightly. "Gomen. I have a lot to work on." I was only telling half of the truth. In fact, I already finished the assignments given today, but I _really _needed an excuse. "Matte!" I glanced up from my bag, honey-eyes meeting my (E/C) ones. "Momoshiro has informed me that you are talented. I wish to see this for myself." This man's stoic face met my own, both of us unreadable. "Hmnn…" "Alright…" I reluctantly walked over to my other bag, pulling out one of my rackets. "But I will only play for fun. There is no meaning to playing someone just because we have to." My remark surprised many of the players before me. Some, like Momo, smirked as they already anticipated such a response. Others were more hesitant. "Alright…" I inhaled deeply, slowly letting it out, before holding my racket to face them. "…who will be first?"

"Heh! I will!" A small smile found its way to my lips as Momo walked to the court across from me. "I want my revenge!" I chuckled lightly. "Alright. Rough or smooth?" "Rough." A cocky smirk illuminated his face, before instantly falling as my racket landed on smooth. "Che…" "You serve first Momo…" He turned his head back, surprised by my willingness to give him the first serve. I shrugged it off, taking my place at the baseline.

I wasn't normally one to show off or be really enthusiastic, but, somehow, being around this particular group brought out a side of myself that I hadn't even knew existed. "Ne, Momo…" "Hai?" "…is it alright if we only play one game?" He smirked. "Not confident?" I shook my head. "I do need to get home soon….." "Ah~ Alright! Let's make this quick then!" I smiled, nodding. _'Yes…let's…..'_

"Best of one game! Momoshiro to serve!" I watched as Momo prepared for his serve. I could tell instantly that it was going to be heavy… "Here goes!" As I predicted, a heavy slice. "Gomen Momo…" I caught the ball as soon as it landed, adding extra spin on it. "W-What?" Apparently, our peers were astonished that I, a mere _girl, _could return a heavy slice, especially from Momo. "Point to (F/N), 15-0" "W-What was that?" "Come Momo…" He frowned, but hit his next serve.

"30-0" "40-0" "Game to (F/N)".

It wasn't even three minutes later, and I nodded my head, stretching out my hand. "That was a good game Momo!" "Yeah! But next time I will definitely win!" His confidence was….._refreshing_. _'Loving the game whether you win or lose…..that is real tennis.' _

Just as I was placing my racket away, another male approached me. "Ne! I wanna play you in a game too! Please?!" "I-I really need to…" I felt bad for Eiji-san, he looked almost crushed when I refused. "Oh, alright…" His frown turned into a wide grin as he hugged me. "Thank you!" I sighed, secretly smiling.

As we started our match, me giving him the first serve, I began to notice a certain way he moved as he sprung towards the net. "Ne, Eiji-sempai?" "Hai?" He asked as he returned the ball to me. "You aren't used to playing singles huh?" "Eh?!" He was too surprised to return my lob.

"15-0"

"Nye~ How did you know I play doubles usually?" His eyes were wide, and our current game forgotten to him. "U-Um…..the way you move….." "I see…..Interesting….." My face turned to where a new voice sounded, my eyes meeting a spiky-haired male. He opened a notebook, and began jotting down something. _'What a weird fellow…'_

I managed to talk my way out of playing anyone else, though my 'skills' brought in many curious opponents. "I really need to get home now…" Sad eyes met mine as the team agreed. I began to walk away. "We'll see you tomorrow!" I smiled back and waved at Momo. _'I will see you tomorrow…'_

I sighed, approaching my new home. It set along a cozy little street, aside from the temple residing in my neighbor's yard. _'I suppose I should introduce myself to them tomorrow…' _At the current moment, I was just too exhausted. "I'm home." I announced to the emptiness, knowing full well that there was no one there to greet me.

~Next Day~

I woke up before my alarm went off, my usual punctuality showing. I showered, put on my uniform, and proceeded to the kitchen to make myself something quickly for breakfast. _'An omelet sounds good…' _I quickly made my food, and sat down at the table.

"Hey! (F/N)-chan!" I turned, a small smile playing at my lips, as Momo ran up to me. "Hey Momo, what's up?" He scratched the back of his head, his cheeks flushing slightly, and nodded towards the courts. "We have morning practice. Why are you here so early?" I pulled up a piece of paper. "I wanted to check over my work, and I figured I could ask a professor if I was confused." "What's that?" He gently took the paper from me, before his eyes widened. "Crap! This was our homework wasn't it?!" I chuckled, nodding. "I take it you didn't do it." He looked panicked, but tried to brush it off only to fail. "If you finish practice earlier, I don't mind helping you with it." He clasped my hands in his, his eyes brightening up. "Please!" I smiled, and nodded. "Alright, then I will see you in class."

I went to walk away, but Momo gently grabbed my arm again. "Do you…think you can stay for our practice? I mean…..it was nice having you there yesterday and….not just me but the whole team…it was awesome to see you play tennis…." _'I see…' _"I think I can do that today…" "Really?!" "Hai." "Awesome! I'll go and tell them!" He sprinted away with a quick good-bye, and disappeared into the back. _'I guess it won't be another boring day…' _A light smile grew on my face, thinking of how I would not be alone…

~End of classes~

Momo made it just in time for me to be able to help him with the majority of our previous homework, and was able to understand enough to take the surprise quiz we had at the beginning of our class. "A RI GA TOU GO ZA I MA SU!" I chuckled some at how he emphasized all of the sentence. "It was no problem Momo, I'm just glad that we were able to understand the material." He nodded. "Yeah! And it was all thanks to you!" A small blush began to tint my cheeks.

"Let's go!" I didn't have much of a chance to respond, let alone collect my things, before Momo began ushering me to the courts for practice. "Momo, you know you could just go before me, and I'll meet you there when I'm done." I was holding many sheets of notes and work, almost dropping some of them. Momo stopped, not turning to meet my face. "I….I thought it would be….nice if we arrived together….and stuff…." His words confused me slightly. "Momo?" He let go of my hand, apologized for forcing me out in such a hurry, and proceeded to the end of the hallway. I sighed, feeling somewhat guilty for being somewhat rude. _'Gomen…..' _

The sound of a ball brushing against a hard-top court surrounded me. "So, you decided to come today as well…" I glanced to my right, seeing the same honey-eyed male from yesterday. "Hai. Momo asked me to come today as well…" _'That, and I wanted to…' _"I see…" The male carefully observed the team, his eyes analytical and caring. "Tezuka-buchou!" My eyes widened slightly when I realized they were calling the man next to me. "Hai." He walked away, leaving me in bewilderment. _'He's the captain?' _I guess it was obvious, given his aura and the way he carried himself but…

"Nya~ (F/N)! Let's have our match today!" I looked up from my notebook, surprised that the other members had noticed my small figure sitting on the sidelines. "Eh?" The Regular team members gathered around me, asking about when they could have a match, and the sudden attention was just too much. _'This is so embarrassing…' _I tried not to show how uncomfortable and shy I was, but I ultimately failed. "Boys! Get back to practice!" "HAI!" As the guys scattered back to their practice, an older woman approached me. "Oh, you're the girl from yesterday correct?" I stood, before bowing slightly. "Hai. I am (F/N) (L/N). Please forgive me for interrupting the practice, which was not my intention." The woman chuckled. "I am the coach for the Seigaku tennis team. Please call me Coach Ryuzaki." "Hai."

"Why not join in on practice?" "Eh?" I was surprised by her proposition. We spoke lightly as the members continued to practice, mostly about tennis and what I thought about the team. "They are all good players…" I downcast my eyes. "But?" I sighed. "But I don't think they are well balanced. It is quite obvious which ones are the main players, based on experience and playing style, and…" She ushered me to continue. "…and the way they carry out their 'special shots' are…excessive…they waste more energy than they need too…" "Ho~ Really? Do you think you can show them the 'right' way then?" My eyes widened, and I turned to Coach Ryuzaki. "W-What do you…?" "I would like you to help our boys. It's obvious from what I watched yesterday that you have talent, and even if just to have a practice match with them, I think would be good experience." "I-I don't really…." She sent me a look, one that I knew all too well… "I won't push you to make a choice yet, but I would like you to consider it. I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind. Also…" She stepped a bit closer to me, whispering the rest of her sentence. "…I think it would be a good way for you to move on Ms. (L/N)…" I gasped. "Y-You know…?" She nodded, face showing a serious expression. "I-I see…"

"Ne~ (F/N)-chan? Are you alright?" I turned to Momo, noticing a concerned glint in his eyes, and nodded. "Hai. Just tired." It was hard to go to sleep after my conversation with Coach Ryuzaki. "Don't push yourself too hard! I know you have a title to keep! But they're just grades!" I turned away, looking out the window. "Hai…" _'I wish it was that simple…'_

"_They won't be coming back…not now…" A whisper sounded, barely audible to my ears. I felt the weight of the world then, the fact that I did not make it to their side not helping one bit. I knew. I knew that something would happen. I knew the anger I would be facing upon my return. But…I never knew THIS would be how things ended…"_

_A.N: Hey guys! I hope you like how the story is going thus far! Please leave comments/reviews because I DO read them and I DO take them into consideration (if they involve critiques)! Pretty please?_

_P.S: How about 3 Reviews of next chapter? _

_P.S.S: Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

~(F/N) POV~

"(F/N)?" I turned my eyes up to the teacher. "Hai?" She pointed down to my empty worksheet, anger clearly seen in her eyes. "Why have you not done any of the work? You have had all class period to work on it." "Gomen. I will begin it now…" I started on my work after that, not bothering to speak again.

"Ne, ne~ (F/N)-chan! It's time for lunch!" I sighed, pulling my work together. "Gomen, Momo, but I will be staying here…" He seemed saddened by my response but, upon noticing my need to be alone, left without any questions. I was thankful for that. Thankful that he understood my feelings.

I hadn't bothered bringing a lunch, rather, I had so much on my mind that eating seemed irrelevant. _'Who could have told her?...Though, I suppose it isn't all that difficult to find out about my past but…' _I hadn't noticed the tears running down my cheeks until some landed on my paper, smearing the lines ever-so-slightly. "Are you alright?" I looked up, eyes widening, as I looked to see who had entered the room. "T-Tezuka…sempai….." A soft hand caressed my face, wiping away the tears that were still there. "W-What are you…..doing here…?" His face was as unreadable as ever but…for a moment I thought I saw sadness in his eyes. "Coach Ryuzaki would like to see you to discuss the proposition made yesterday." "N-Now?" "Hai." My lips turned down, a frown growing on my face. "I….need more time….." "Gomen, but she would still like to speak with you." I couldn't refuse. He took my hand, much to my surprise, and led me towards the door.

A light blush made its way to my cheeks as I walked, hand-in-hand, with Tezuka-sempai. "U-Um…I can follow you just fine without…" He turned back to face me, and I looked down to our linked hands. "Hmn…" He released my hand, but the warmth from his body still lingered. It burned in an unfamiliar way. _'It's weird…' _"We're here." I didn't hear him, still submerged in my own thoughts, until I hit something….or rather, _someone_. "G-Gomen!" I bowed, my face heating up even more. "Hmn." Was my only response. "Oh, Tezuka, (F/N), you're here." "Hai." We answered simultaneously. "Good. This concerns you as well Tezuka." He seemed surprised, but only momentarily. _'He's good at keeping a façade…..I wish I were the same…..' _"(F/N), have you decided whether or not you wanted to join the team?" Tezuka-sempai turned to me, mouth slightly agape. "U-Um…" I looked at the floor, suddenly finding my shoes to be highly entertaining. "I…."

"You seem more comfortable with the team…" I was surprised when Tezuka-sempai spoke up. "What do you mean?" It wasn't just me, but Coach Ryuzaki was also confused. "Momoshiro has informed me that in classes you are relatively quiet and withdrawn…however, when you have joined in practice you seem much more…_alive…_" "W-What…?"_'He's right…' _"I…" It was hard to speak when I thought things through. _'I hadn't considered what would be best for everyone…I just wanted to keep myself isolate but…that became impossible the moment I met everyone on the tennis team...' _"I see…"

"Team! Line up!" The members scurried to take their places, the Regulars leading them in the front. "I would like to introduce you to our newest member. She will be aiding with practices, particularly for the Regulars. I want you all to treat her with respect!" I walked forward slightly, cowering down at all of the stares directed at me. "(F/N)?" I glanced up at Momo, smiled momentarily, before taking a breath and introducing myself. "Hello. My name is (F/N) (L/N). I am a second year here at Seigaku. I hope you will take care of me." I bowed deeply, already hearing faint whispers. _'Did I make the right decision?' _I couldn't help but wonder that as I stood straight again, though that thought instantly vanished when a few familiar faces ran up and hugged me. "Yay! (F/N) is going to help us!" I blushed at Eiji's remark. "I-I'm not that great…" My only response was a bunch of incredulous glances, and a larger group hug. "Alright! Let's get to practice!"

"Ne, (F/N), when were you going to tell me you were going to join the team? Is that why you were acting so strange today? You didn't have to worry about us rejecting your offer!" I was glad that Momo was still, well, Momo. "Gomen." "Hahaha! Don't worry about it!"

"Today, we are going to be working on training our endurance, I want each of you to pair up and have a match." "Yay! I call dibs of (F-…" "I have already assigned pairs." The spikey-haired man, I found out was Inui, announced before Momo could finish. "Awe~"

"Kaidou-Momoshiro, Kawamura-Fuji, Oishi-Kikumaru, Echizen-(F/N)…."

"Eh?!" I exclaimed, completely thrown off by the idea that I was actually going to participate. _'Not that I mind too much…' _"Whoa! Inui! Are you crazy? Why pair (F/N) with Echizen?!" I looked at the small boy, already deciding that he was more experienced then he let on, and shook my head. "It's alright Momo…" Echizen looked up to meet my eyes, a silent challenge evident in his gaze. "I'll take Ryo-chan on." Some were surprised by my nickname for Echizen, while others chuckled. I walked over to my rackets, picked the top on up, and returned to the court I was designated.

"Best of one-set match, Echizen to serve." I was a bit taken aback by the intense aura Ryoma was emitting, but at the same time it made my body shiver in excitement. _'I haven't felt this feeling in such a long time…' _As he served, I took notice of the way his body turned ever-so-slightly as he hit the ball. I smirked inwardly. _'I suppose he wanted to surprise me with this serve…too bad I already know it.' _I bent my knees, reaching my racket out.

I returned the ball, much to our audience's surprise, and dropped the return right in front of the net on his side of the court. "15-0" Ryoma didn't take long to recover, and took his position again. _'Hitting another one…' _As I expected, he hit another. However, the outcome was still the same. "30-0"

"What is she doing?!" "How could she return Echizen's best serve?!" I knew that our observers were amazed.

"40-0" "Game to (L/N), 1-0"

"Ne, Ryo-chan…" He turned to glance up at me, and I smiled gently. "Do you think you can play me with your dominant hand? I won't need a handicap." He smirked, switching his racket to his left hand." "Alright, sempai, be prepared though…" _'His eyes…they remind me of someone I know…' _

"Come on Ryo-chan! Show me what you can _really _do!" He glared at me as I scored another point. "Game to (L/N), she leads 4-0"

"What a one-sided match!" "Who would've thought she was this good!"

A frown fell on my face as I watched the panting boy opposite of me. _'I know he can do better…' _That was when he smirked at me. "Mada mada dane." I couldn't help the small smile that etched itself onto my face at the familiar saying. "I see…alright then…" I switched my racket to my left hand, surprising many including Ryoma himself. "She's a southpaw?!" I smiled my usual small grin, and motioned for Ryoma to serve.

"Game to (L/N), she leads 5-0"

I sighed when I saw the look in Ryoma's eyes as he glared at me. I was about to serve, before speaking. "Ne, Ryo-chan…" "Hai." I frowned. "I think you have a lot of potential…however, you do not think of tennis as being fun and encouraging, rather… Ryoma, why do you play tennis?" My question caught him off guard. "To beat someone." My frown deepened. "I see…then please allow me to show you differently…" I tossed the ball, adding a large amount of spin to it, and hit it. "15-0"

"What was that?!" "It seemed like a normal serve, but the ball just suddenly dropped out of the blue!" I began bouncing the ball for my next serve. "30-0"

I hit my serve yet again. "40-0. Match-point."

"Ryo-chan…let me show you how much you are missing out on…" He glared at me, but my face remained unfazed. _'Let me show you how much fun tennis can be…' _

"It was a good game Ryo-chan." I held out my hand, which he took rather roughly, and shook his. "I hope there aren't any…" He was already walking away as I spoke, so I didn't bother continuing. "Gomen…" I whispered, sighing.

~A.N~ Hey guys, so, I FINALLY got another chapter up! Woohoo! I'm glad that in my absence some more people have liked the story! I hope to continue this! Anyways, at this point I would REALLY like to receive some comments/reviews for the story (if you have time of course) to let me know if you would like me to change something/correct something. English isn't my first language so any sort of critiques (that aren't too harsh) would be welcomed! I will also (LOVE) to hear if you think the story is great! Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

~(F/N) POV~

After another 30 minutes, he sky began to darken, the air smelling of rain. "Practice will end here due to weather changes. However, I expect to see you all in the morning!" "HAI!" I aided the 1st years in picking up the balls and gathering the nets, which they agreed I didn't need to help them with but still did. Once finished, I headed to the locker room. After making sure none of the boys were still lingering around inside, I began to change. "(L/N)…" I turned behind me, mouth agape at the sudden voice. "Oh, Tezuka-buchou, I wasn't expecting you to be there….." _'I'm glad he wasn't here a few moments ago…' _"Gomen. I have a question for you." I looked up into his eyes, and nodded for him to continue. "…..Is there any chance that you….." He seemed hesitant to continue, but I gestured for him to do so as I gave an encouraging smile. "…do you happen to know a Yuki (L/N)?" I tensed at the all-too-familiar name. "H-Hai…" I looked down, afraid that if I didn't my tears would erupt. "I see…..please give her my regards…" My eyes widened. _'He doesn't know…' _I caught hold of his sleeve as he began to walk away, stopping him. "What was your relation to…my sister…?" He turned to face me completely, taking in the new information, before responding. "I met her when I was just a 1st year here at Seigaku, and we became good friends." I cringed. "G-Gomen." I couldn't stop it from happening. The tears poured out, almost as hard as the rain, as my voice cracked. "S-She is….." I couldn't say the words. I couldn't tell one of my sister's friends what had happened to her. I was afraid. Afraid that if I let my emotions take control again, that I would truly break. I squeezed his sleeve tighter, amazed that he hadn't jerked me off yet. We stood there in almost-silence as I cried out. _'Why? Why did this have to happen?' _

"Are you alright now?" I nodded weakly, rubbing my puffy eyes. "Gomen. I didn't mean to…" He pulled me back as I tried to pull away, draping both arms around me. "I didn't know…" It seems as if he could read my mind; my emotions, and deciphered their meaning. "When?" His voice sounded very pained…as if he lost someone so precious to him but was not allowed to react. "F-Four months…" My voice cracked yet again, tears already beginning to form around my eyes. "I see…so that is why she did not attend this year….." I nodded stiffly, feeling slightly better after getting most of my pent-up emotion off of my chest. "I told myself that if I cried, it would mean that I accepted their…" I chocked on the word, desperately trying to find another way to convey it but still could not. Yet, for some reason, he understood.

Neither of us spoke for a good while, we merely enjoyed the natural sounds of the night. "It's getting late…" To be quite honest, I didn't want to go by myself… "I-I see…" I bowed, grabbed my bags, and proceeded to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow Tezuka-bucho-"I felt arms wrap around me, pulling me into a soft embrace. "W-Wha-? " "You do not need to continue to bottle all of these raw emotions up, if you do I fear that more 'episodes' like today may occur…" "H-Hai…" I felt my heart begin to beat a little harder as he spoke those words. _'I don't know if I can allow myself to do that…but I will try…'_

~Tezuka POV~

I watched her small frame as she left the locker room, a small frown on my face. _'If only I had known…' _I shook my thoughts away, already regretting where my mind was trying to travel. _'The past is in the past…' _I sighed, pushing up my glasses that now hung low on my nose. _'We shall wait for tomorrow…' _I made my way out of the locker room, and checked to make sure that it locked itself.

~Next Day~(F/N) POV~

I woke up, my eyes still somewhat sore from my crying fit yesterday. _'Yesterday…' _A small blush made its way to my cheeks, but was quickly replaced with a frown. _'I hate being weak…' _I took in a deep breathe, releasing it almost immediately, and headed for the bathroom. _'How will I face him today?' _

I approached the school entrance, thinking over how I should apologize to Tezuka-buchou for yesterday, but trying to retain my stoic expression. "Ne, (F/N)-chan!" I turned, giving a small smile to Eiji-sempai as he bounced over to me. "Hai?" He seemed…_especially _hyper today. "Did you hear? We're going to be going to the District Tournament tomorrow! I can't wait! I'm so excited!" _'I can see that…' _I smiled a bit more, his happy aura making me feel a little less down about the whole situation I was brooding over on the way here. "By the way!" I looked back at him. "Hai?" "Tezuka wanted to make sure I told you to come to practice early! He and Coach needed to talk to you about something!" At the mention of _his _name, my uneasiness came back. _'Has he told anyone?!' _I felt panicked on the inside, but kept my stoic expression. "H-Hai…." His expression saddened at my tone, but I walked away with a simple "good-bye" before he could ask anything else.

My mind was a mess throughout the day, but I was glad that Momo was supportive and continued to keep my spirits up by making me laugh. All too soon though, the time for classes was coming to an end. I excused myself early, the professor, already being given notice, sent me off with a nod and my homework. To be honest, I wanted to stay…only because I don't think I was ready for what was going to be said to me. _'What if I said something I shouldn't have? I mean, Tezuka-buchou doesn't seem the type to spread rumors of secrets but…' _I thought about the time I was proven wrong by another person I knew… _'Tezuka-buchou wouldn't do something like that…..right?' _I shook the remaining thoughts from my head. _'Whatever happens, happens…' _

I knocked a few times on Coach Ryuzaki's door and, after hearing an "enter", opened the door and made my way towards her. "You wanted to see me Coach Ryuzaki?" "Hai. I wanted to talk to you about the matches tomorrow." I sighed internally, the knot that had formed in my stomach disappeared almost instantly. _'I'm so glad…' _A part of me, despite not knowing the team for very long, knew that all of the members were kind and understanding. "Hai." She gestured me towards a seat, and I took my place. "Now then. I know that you have not been with us for long, but I feel that you have connected with our team." "H-Hai?" I said, a bit confused by where she was going with this. "So, I wanted to ask you for advice…" "W-What?" I was surprised by her words. "Well. I have Singles One and Two already reserved for Tezuka and Fuji. Doubles One will be our Golden Pair of Eiji and Oishi…That leaves me with Doubles Two and Singles One…" "Ah. So you wanted to know what I thought about the player's progress." "Hai." I nodded, smiling as I finally understood. "Well, from what I can see…."

~Time Skip to After Practice~

It was tough, and I just made it to watch the end of Inui's practice regiment for the Regulars. "(F/N)! Where have you been?!" I chuckled lightly. "Gomen Momo, I was…caught up in some things." I hated not being able to tell him the truth, but I knew that if I did then it would only cause trouble. He sighed. "Alright…then to make up for missed time, how about we go eat together?!" A small blush found its way to my cheeks, and I smiled. "Sure, I wouldn't mind."

"Eto….Ryo-chan?" I turned to my right to see the freshman. "Hai?" "Betsu ni…" It was a bit awkward as we walk along in silence. Momo had told me to meet him at a Burger Place close by, but I didn't quite know why Ryo-chan was coming with me. "So…have you been doing well with practice? I heard Inui's regiment was tough today. Momo mentioned something with a 'Penalty Drink'? Ryoma instantly shuddered as if remembering a horrible nightmare. "It was nothing…" I sighed inwardly at his response. "Ne, (F/N)-sempai…" "Hai?" I asked, astonished that he would _actually _start a conversation with me. "Where did you learn to play tennis?" His question caught me off guard, and I stopped instantly. Ryoma took a step forward but stopped when he realized I wasn't moving. "Well…..my mother taught me when I was younger…" "Hmn…" He started to walk forward again, leaving me to gather my thoughts.

"(F/N)! What took you so long?" Momo exclaimed as I walked through the door of the fast food restaurant. "Eh? Echizen? Why are you here too?" "I wanted to grab a bite to eat…" I chuckled a bit as they began speaking to each other. "Hey! You guys are on Seigaku's Tennis Team right?" Momo and Ryoma stopped and turned to face the foreign voice. "Hai." "I knew it! You guys will be facing my brother's team in upcoming tournaments." My eyes widened slightly. "Oh, sorry for not introdycing myself. My name is An, Tachibana An. My brother is captain of Futomine's Tennis Team." I couldn't help but smile at her cuteness, and introduced myself in return. "My name is (F/N), (L/N) (F/N)." She smiled up at me. "I'm Takeshi Momoshiro, and this is Ryoma Echizen!" "Nice to meet you!"

We stood in line to order food, when An suddenly asked a weird question. "So, which on of you will be playing Singles 3? I know that Singles One and Two are reserved for Tezuka and Fuji, but I can't tell where you two will be." I sweat-dropped. _'Why would she ask that?' _Of course I knew now where they would be, and I snickered internally as the two in question began arguing over who would be playing Singles 3. _'If only they knew…' _

The rest of the night consisted of Momo and Ryoma 'challenging' each other. It was somewhat ridiculous, how both refused to lose. We ended up at a street tennis court, only to find other players using the only court visible. "I think I'm going to go home now…" "What? You aren't going to watch me wipe the floor with Echizen?!" I chuckled some as Ryoma glared at Momo. "Gomen. I need to get up early tomorrow, and I still have some work to do. "Awe~" Momo seemed really disappointed, but didn't press me to stay. "Anyways, I'll see you two tomorrow!"

As I was walking home, I couldn't help but think about what the Coach, Tezuka-sempai, and I conversed about earlier.

_"__Do you have any ideas?" I turned to Tezuka-sempai. "Well…I can see where you have the issues…" Coach Ryuzaki quirked a brow. I cleared my throat, feeling a bit awkward by what I was about to say, but still continued. "As I explained yesterday…..you have so many talented players, yet all of the positions are predetermined automatically…" I glanced between Tezuka-sempai and the Coach, judging whether or not I overstepped my boundaries. Neither spoke, so I took it upon myself to continue. "As for who should be Doubles 2 and Singles 3… I would say that, for Doubles especially, you need good coordination. That's the primary reason Eiji-sempai and Oishi-sempai make a marvelous team. They a best friends who have known each other for a long time…" "So you think two that are good friends need to be placed in Doubles 2?" "Not precisely…but with how the team is now…I would say those who are most compatible together would be best for the position." "And for Singles 3?" I was surprised when Tezuka-sempai suddenly spoke. 'I almost forgot he was here…' "I would say leave that to Inui…he would know who is best for that position…" "How so?" "He has been watching the players and evaluating them each individually…so he would know who has been the best overall in terms of improvement and stability…" _

It felt strange to talk about things like that again…especially since it has been so long since I last played a legitimate match… 'Ah well…I guess we will see tomorrow…'

~Tezuka POV~

Once she left I turned to Ryuzaki-sensei. "Well?" She nodded her head, understanding what I was trying to convey, and smiled. "Yes, she was somewhat useful. Especially after talking to a certain baka on the phone earlier…" My brow raised at the mention of another person. "Don't worry…I think I know what to do now…" I nodded my head, interested in what our Coach could be thinking. 'I suppose we will have to see tomorrow…'

~Next Day~(F/N) POV~

I awoke earlier this morning, my body twitchy and unable to relax. 'Why am I so nervous? It's not like I'm going to be playing…' I paced back and forth between the stairs and doorway, my anxiety only growing as the seconds passed.

That continued on for another half hour, before a sudden ringing sound broke me from my thoughts. It was my phone. I reached down, picking the object up and checking the caller ID. 'Who would call so early…?'….! My mind froze when the familiar name flashed across the bright screen. 'Why…? Why now…?'

~A Few Hours Later~Tezuka POV~

"It seems that (F/N) will not be able to join us today." My normally stoic face contorted into a confused frown. "Why?!" Momoshiro whined. Coach Ryuzaki sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It seems that something important arose... She called me earlier to inform me of this sudden event as well as wish all of you the best of luck with your matches today." A wave of disappointment seemed to wash over my team as the Coach spoke. "Alright. We will proceed without her." I voiced monotonously. "What?! How can you say that Buchou?!" I sent a look towards Momoshiro, promising him more laps if he continued. "Tezuka's right…she'll tell us what happened when she returns. It must have been really important if she has to miss this…" I nodded towards Fuji, thanking him for his comment. "Now then. Let's head to the sign in desk."

~Meanwhile~(F/N) POV~

I stared down at the contract, eyes widened in disbelief. "Forgive me…" I sat the papers down on the table before continuing, "…but I do not wish to sign anything of this sort, especially not now." The formal-looking man seemed _very _displeased with my answer. "Why not?! It seems perfect for someone of your stature! If there is a better offer, than please tell me! I will arrange for you to have the very best of…" I cut him off with a raised hand. "My answer still stands…" "Hmph! Is this some sort of repentance?! You may think you killed your family but that is not the issue! Get over this! They weren't even your real…" I slammed my fist down on the table, surprising all of the surround persons. "Don't you _ever _say that in front of me". My voice dripped with venomous animosity.

A.N: I'm SOOOOO SORRY for not updating in forever! Truth be told, I've had a serious case of writer's block...that, and I was starting to feel a bit discouraged... My writing in and of itself is a little weird and I'm still not too confident about my English skills (b/c I think people are just being nice and not telling me...) But! Enough about that! I hope you guys will like the long update! PLEASE COMMENT AND JUST TELL ME ANYTHING YOU THINK (if you have time of course)!


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